Even if it fades
by kitkat127
Summary: Claire Arica Chress is a bastard of her father. She is a man hater but that changed when he met the Latimers and Jack. It seems that her happy moments with Jack has suddenly gone away, Jack has to leave, he promised to not forget her... But would he?
1. Chapter 1

The cold breeze caressed my face as I watched the night sky. With my back flat on the grass, I watched the stars glittered like diamonds. I can hear cicadas nearby, and hear the rippling water of the lake.

"It's really peaceful tonight" with a sigh and a gentle smile, I stood and went near to the lake watching my reflection, and then I heard someone approaching. I turned around, my eyes widened with surprise.

"Hey"

"What are….you doing here?"

"Saying farewell to a friend"

"I-I thought you're already gone yesterday"

"True, but I came back to say farewell"

I pouted my lips a little, and turned my head back to the lake. "You really shouldn't have gone back, it's a long way from here to the main land, especially now."

"What do you mean with 'especially now'?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Townspeople said that you're a Latimer. You're the long lost son of Peter John Latimer" I met his eyes and said honestly, "I'm really glad that you were found by Sir Peter"

"Thank you"

"And I admire your….your father:

His right eyebrow went up.

I filled my lungs with air. "A never give up man and a one-woman man. Even though in the eyes of everyone you and your mother were believed to be dead"

"The Latimer men are a never-give-up man and one-woman man," he said implying something. I rolled my eyes and the silence fell. Nothing else can be heard but the soft ripples of the lake and the cicadas buzzing.

"Do you have a cell phone number?"

I smiled and replied, "I first need to have a cell phone before having cell phone number, right?"

"I wish that was just what I would give you as a parting gift"

My smile vanished. "I'm not charity, Mr. Latimer"

"It's a self motive, that's why I thought about that so, that I can call you, or text you.

"Never mind"

He sighed, "Give me your email ad"

"Why?"

"Just give me your email ad, I'll send you e-mails regularly"

"Why? Aren't you going to come back and visit your grandfather here?"

He sighed again. "My mom has not entirely recovered her memory. She can only remember puzzle pieces but not entirely. And the culprit who kidnapped my mom when she was pregnant with me is caught."

"I'm sorry…"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's over. Everything is back to normal except that my mom has not yet recovered her memories. I wanted to tell you that in the next 2 days, me, my mom and my dad are going to be away."

"Heading where?"

"My parents will be having a tour in Europe. In the same time, to meet doctors who expertly and professionally knows about recovering in amnesia. While me, I'm studying"

"That's true. The openings of classes are near. Which exclusive school are you going to take in the main land?"

"Not here or in the main land, Claire. My grandfather Frank wants me to be enrolled in Ivy schools."

"Oh" I looked down. But it was just a moment and I smiled, it's bad that you bid a friend with a sad face.

"It might be long before I could come back. It will count years."

"What do I wish you luck with? Now that you found your real parents, everything is now yours. Maybe I should go with health. Okay, I'll go with health…"

"I won't forget you"

I pouted. "You just say that but you don't actually mean it."

"I won't forget grandpa either. Please tell me your e mail ad"

"ClaireChress"

He seemed he'll remember it and reached out in his pocket and placed it on Claire's hand.

I looked at my palm. "W-what's this?"

"A small little penguin on a key chain, hope you'd treasure it"

I stared at the penguin. It's black, white, hard and made of glass. My attention then shifted to the key chain. My forehead creased, weighing it on my palm and then looked at it again.

"You didn't need to give me this" I gave back the key chain but he closed my palm with his hand and the key chain inside.

"Try receiving a gift gracefully, Claire"

I gasped softly at the tone of his voice. In my ears it was a command. I slowly pulled my hand away from his.

"It's purely out of my heart when I give it to you. A token of friendship…"

"The key chain, it's… pure gold."

His eyebrows went to the center. "How did you know?"

I sighed and made a face. "I've sometimes tried mining but as you can see I'm not fit for it so I went to become a deliverer of the blacksmith. I can't accept it, Jack"

"You have to. It's something to remember me by. Please"

"T-thank you" I said feeling my throat itching from nervousness, shyness and embarrassment. "It's the first time I have received a gift in my life. I'll treasure it."

"I'll send you gifts on occasion…"

"You don't need to-"

He cut me off. "I want to kiss you goodbye, Claire," he whispered softly. But those words didn't really leave his lips but it was the cold breeze that carried it to her ears.

She gasped and wide eyed. Jack took a step closer to her while she took a step away from him. The lake is behind her back, she had literally stopped breathing.

Then he put his fingers on her chin and raised her face to him. Slowly, his head bent down to her face. Instinctively, Claire closed her eyes. Then his lips touched hers. They were butter-soft that Jack moaned. Then he put a little pressure on the kiss that Claire actually pushed him. And he fell on his butt.

Claire had let go of the face and widened eyes that looked up to her.

"Release your breath before you turn blue," he commanded

Am I really still holding my breath? She really doesn't care if she breathes or not right now! I kissed him! Wait! He kissed me, not me!

"If you don't release your breath, I'd have to kiss you again to make you breathe. And I don't mind that job, Claire" He said noticing that I was in the vortex of confusion so paper thin with shock.

I blinked. And I exhaled. "I-i-it's my first kiss." I said, being red until to my ears.

He dimpled. "Mine, too" He stood up and said, "It's…fantastic…"

I was rendered speechless. He sighed, "I wish I could stay but I can't stay any longer. I only came to say goodbye" He looked at her intently. "Bye, Claire Arica Chress"

Like you just only really said goodbye, you even took my first kiss from me! Even though that's what her mind says, words weren't able to come out from Claire's mouth. Her fingers were touching her lips. It still tingled. She can't believe that she had let someone to kiss her!

She followed a gaze to Jack, he turned his head back, waved and continued walking. Until the thick grass, had hidden the image of Jack.

She didn't even feel that tears were welling up in her eyes. Why is she crying? Because he embraced her? She didn't know the reason. She chided herself. She's too much going with the flow of kindness that Jack has shown her on the first day they've met.

She blinked back the silly tears, and bent down to look at the penguin. But still, her eyes were blurred. Without consciousness, she held the gift up on her chest.

She would treasure the gift. Even thought she knew that her name itself would fade from memories of Jack Latimer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

**3 years and 8 months later…**

Recently, Jack's emails were getting fewer and fewer. Claire was worried about it. Maybe Jack was getting busier, they say schools abroad are demanding and have high standards. She sighed, and then she pouted her lips, why the hell is she making excuses for Jack? Why is she bothering with his emails anyway? Jack is starting to forget her and it's a nice thing, right? But why does her chest heaved so heavily? She sighed, there's no point in asking herself. Even if Jack forgets her, its okay because she'll just keep remembering Jack, she'll keep reminiscing from the first day they met until to the part they bid farewell…

_**FLASHBACK:**_

_Claire held her breath as she threw the dart, and she exhaled her breath when she saw that the dart has hit the board. It was bull's eye! Claire happily clapped to herself, "Give me my penguin!" Claire happily said. Won's face was filled with disappointment because the big prize was won with only one dart. But he immediately took the biggest penguin plush from the display shelf and gave it to her._

_With whole eagerness did Claire hug the big but cheap penguin plush, as if it was the very first present she had ever received. A flash caught Claire's attention. It made her gasp. As fast as the lightning, her smile was replaced with a frown and eyes that showed annoyance, she faced the boy holding a camera._

"_You don't have the right to take a picture of me!" Claire said angrily._

"_When I have it developed I'd give it to you even though it's negative," Jack promised, giving her his irresistible grin. It seems that the smile that the girls had gone crazy about it in his school had no effect on Claire._

_Claire just stared at him, his grin was goofy for her. She continued, "I don't care! You shouldn't have taken a picture of me! How would I know if you're—"_

"_If I'm?" Jack asked curiously._

_For a moment, Claire didn't answer. She was thinking about using the right words. "Those…Those people who put pictures on the internet that shows women naked!" She said._

"_W-w-what?" The astonishment because of what she said had been replaced right away with amusement. Jack laughed. "Really, your imagination is really rich. Does my face look—"_

"_An evil person doesn't choose a face!" Claire said cutting him off._

"_Hey, lady, don't get smart on me!" A mixture of irritation and amusement was in Jack's voice. "I'm a friend of Kai, and I'm also the grandson of—"_

_On the second time, she cut off what Jack was saying. "I know Kai," she said and raised her chin up a little. "And it's the more reason why I shouldn't trust you! What do they say about 'birds of the same feathers flock together'?"_

"_What—"Jack stopped the flow of words from his mouth and shook his head. Jack had never ever had this kind of exchange of words with the other girls. Most of the girls he had met, had only stupidly stared at him at everything he says as if the source of life was coming out from his mouth._

"_Hey. I'm one of the good guys, gentlemen," he said, perseverance to convince her was in his voice. "And to prove it to you, let's go to the hot dog stand, my treat."_

_Claire shot up an eyebrow. She stared at the boy before her as if he was an insect, her nose flared. Without saying anything, she turned her back from him while hugging the penguin plush. Claire mumbled, "Hmph! As if I can't afford to buy a hot dog!"_

_She quickly took big paces and before Jack could chase her, she had the disappeared in the crowd._

_MINUTES LATER…_

_From the spot Claire was standing, Claire followed Jack a gaze. She never really had gone far; instead she hid herself behind of a booth and secretly followed the boy a gaze. From the moment the boy had answered the phone until he looked like a melting candle and until to the part when he rushed to leave immediately._

_What happened?_

_What do you care? Her mind said. You snubbed him, and then you're interested on what's happening to him…_

_She sighed, and hugged tightly the penguin plush. So what if she snubbed and acted conceited to that boy? All men are the same anyway…_

_That one is handsome… her mind whispered again. She rolled her eyes. She looked like a psycho with a double personality on what she's doing. There's a pity on her chest when she turned her back to leave. However, she saw on the handsome face of Kai's friend the huge grief._

_She felt sorry for him. But anyway, since that boy is a new face, probably he's here for the festival, maybe they won't see each other again…_

_**FLASHBACK END…**_

Claire smiled at herself as she reminisced about how they met. It was funny, she was acting silly that time, she wondered if Jack would make her act like that again…

But running footsteps had disrupted her, it was Zack.

"Claire! The owner of the farm had just passed away!" Zack yelled over to her from afar, Claire can clearly see the sadness on Zack's face but it was just sadness, it was different from grief. And she knew that Jack would definitely feel grief when he'd hear the news…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

It was a sunny day and the sky was so blue, Claire Arica Chress wore a sleeveless, plain, black dress. As she made her way to the cemetery, she wondered what happened to Jack. Her heart gave a heavy squeeze, she grieves for him. She wondered when he'll be back, as she paves her way through the cobblestone path, she wondered how she should comfort Jack, and she looked up. Everystep makes her nostalgic as she started to reminisce the past.

_**FLASHBACK:**_

_Claire cried silently, hugging her knees while sitting at edge of the cliff. Grant is gone. The man, whom according to her mother was her father, died falling off from the lighthouse after attempting to rape Ms. Drew. That's the news swirling around in the whole village._

_Ever since she started to think, she always heard insults about her being. And to her mother Henrietta. That her mother is a gold digger and was only after Grant because of hope that Grant will marry her and the money would be hers._

_How could she explain to everyone that her mother was attracted to Grant and loved him still in the end? More so that everyone knows that her mother is not really from Mineral Town and no one knows where she's from._

_In all the time that she started thinking there were only few people who believed in her mother and not judging them. And one of the things that she felt bitter about was the fact that Grant didn't acknowledge her as a daughter, not even once. After all, he was more afraid to let anyone know that he and Henrietta had a child, a reason that Grant was avoiding to venture off at the place where she and her mother lives._

_She also accepted the insults about Grant's attempt to rape Ms. Drew, the wife of Mr. Leandro who owns the land they live in._

_Her mother wrote many letters to Grant but he never did replied. Despite all of that, she hope that he would at least visit her, even just once. To talk to her. To know her. To acknowledge her as his daughter. To praise her because she is the smartest one in class. She really strived hard to be top one in class every year since elementary so that Grant would brag about her, would not be ashamed of her. But it seems that Grant didn't really care for her at all. Neither her mother nor she felt love from Grant at all._

_Grant visits Mineral Town very rarely and if he is, he stays at the Inn. Until Grant died, humiliation was always what he gave to her. How would she be able to face Ms. Drew and her classmates? Her dream to be able to finish college degree had entirely faded. Because despite all of that, she still had little hope hidden in her heart for her dreams. That Grant would seek her and she would hear from him that he would send her to a good school._

_How hilarious! _"How hilarious of you, Claire! A dreamer and a fool!" _Her mind said to her._

_Now, she would stay as she is. Nor would she be able to help herself and her mother from poverty. Her mother is young. 36 years old. And because her mom is beautiful, many had been around. But her mother waved them off and said no one had wanted to be really in a true commitment. Because of the reputation her mother earned with Grant._

_Claire peered down the cliff. It was rocky down there because beside those rocks is the river, and those rocks are pretty sharp._

_What if she just jumped?_

_But the cliff is not that high._

_More or less she would still be hurt. _

_She returned herself from peering downward. She sniffed. She wiped her tears using the end of her shirt. Why would she even jump? No matter how poor and sufferings she and her mother would endure, it is still good to be alive._

_She and her mother have a job at the blacksmith, her mother is a blacksmith and she's the delivery girl, nonetheless they earned money. Besides she's on scholarship. It's automatic that if she maintains her grades, she's still on scholarship. She promised herself to make it to valedictorian. It's just easy. Besides, she never lost her title in being in first place. That would be the best thing to do, to study hard. Her mother promised to work hard for extra money for miscellaneous expenses. Poor mother, had suffered that wouldn't want to marry again even if there was a man who is earnest to woo her mother._

_She blew her nose softly at the end of shirt. She cringed. _"How unladylike of her!" _her mind scolded her. It was her fault for not bringing a handkerchief in the first place._ _But she never intended to cry anyway. From her back she heard a sound stepping on a twig. Her head almost snapped as she turned._


End file.
